Healthcare facilities responding as natural disasters get worse

As hurricanes, floods, and wildfires grow more frequent and severe, the healthcare facilities are evolving, according to an article on the Direct Relief website. 

They’re installing solar power and backup generators that they never needed before, so they can stay open, protect medications, and access medical records. 

In the wake of a disaster, healthcare facilities can provide vital primary care, whether that’s within the walls of a clinic, in patients’ homes, or in the one place where many of their patients are most likely to show up: an evacuation shelter.

For instance, doctors, nurse practitioners, and other staff members at Santa Rosa Community Health found themselves providing medical care in a local shelter – even as the Kincade Fire threatened the health center’s facilities.

Read the article.